Gauntlet: HEN.M.12I-1933

Maker(s)

Unknown

Entities

• Gauntlet

Categories

• Armour

Description

Gauntlet for the right hand. Of finger form, for field use, with partly later etched decoration, composed of elements of a similar period and fashion. Formed of a fairly long, flared cuff, three metacarpal-plates, a knuckle-plate and the main plate of a thumb-defence. The cuff is formed of a single plate with an overlapped and riveted join at the inside of the wrist. It is medially-ridged and obtusely pointed at the outside, and cut away in concave curves at both its upper and lower edges at the inside. The upper edge of the cuff has a plain inward turn, now largely broken away at the inside of the wrist. The upper edge of the outside of the cuff is pierced with a modern wiring-hole, and shows several large, splits, cracks and losses. The inside of the cuff, which has lost its upper and lower edges and shows numerous small holes, is fitted with a large, riveted, internal patch possessing a plain, outward turn at its upper edge. A line of three modern round-headed rivets for the attachment of a lining-glove run across the upper end of the outside of the cuff. The central one is fitted with a square, internal washer. Two more rivets originally completed the line of rivets around the inside of the cuff. The hole for one of them is now vacant, while that for the other is now occupied by one of the externally-flush rivets that secures the internal patch. The lower edge of the outside of the cuff is overlapped by a series of three upward-overlapping metacarpal-plates, the last of which is itself overlapped by a knuckle-plate. The lower end of the knuckle-plate is shaped between the fingers. The cuff, the metacarpal-plates and the knuckle-plate are connected to one another by modern round-headed rivets with square, polygonal or circular internal washers. Vacant rivet-holes at the lower edge of the cuff, just below and to the inside of each of its present articulating-rivets, represent former articulation-points. The knuckle-plate is fitted at the point of each knuckle with a modern round-headed rivet for the attachment of the missing finger-scales. The rivets are fitted with circular internal washers that retain fragments of the leathers of the finger-scales. Attached by a modern buff-leather hinge to the front edge of the gauntlet is the main plate of a modern thumb-defence. The hinge is secured to the gauntlet by the same rivet that connects the third metacarpal-plate to the knuckle-plate. The hinge is secure to the rear of the main plate of the thumb-defence by a round-headed rivet with a circular internal washer. The main plate is of lozenge shape, with a truncated lower edge where it is fitted with a pair of round-headed rivets with circular internal washers that retain the remains of a leather for the missing thumb-scales. The main plate is medially-ridged from the point of the knuckle to its upper end. A transverse step runs from the point of the knuckle to the rear edge of the main plate.
The cuff is etched with three vertical bands of trophies, herms and fantastic animals on a stippled and blackened ground, repeated in a narrower band around the upper edge of the cuff. The vertical bands are bordered to either side by three narrower bands of which the central one is decorated with guilloche, and the outer ones are plain. The band around the cuff is bordered to the top by a single narrower band which is plain, and to the bottom by three narrower bands of which the central one is roped, and the outer ones are plain. The decoration of the cuff is modern. The metacarpal-plates are etched with a medial band of now indistinct ornament, bordered to either side by three narrower bands of which the central one is decorated with roping, and the outer ones are plain. The upper edges of the metacarpal-plates and the knuckle-plate are each bordered by four narrow bands of which the first is decorated with roping, the third is decorated with a continuous series of circular pellets, and the second and fourth are plain. The knuckle-plate is decorated at its lower end with four roped vertical bands, each of which is bordered to either side by two narrower, plain bands. The bands issue from the points of the knuckles. The main plate of the thumb-defence is etched medially with a band of guilloche, bordered to either side by single, narrower, plain bands. The metacarpal-plates and the knuckle plate have been associated with the cuff in modern times. Part of the composite half armour HEN.M.12A-J-1933

Notes

History note: Mr James Stewart Henderson of 'Abbotsford', Downs Road, St Helen's Park, Hastings, Sussex

Legal notes

J.S. Henderson Bequest

Acquisition and important dates

Method of acquisition: Bequeathed (1933-03-16) by Henderson, James Stewart

Dating

16th Century, Late
17th Century, Early#
Circa 1590 - Production date: circa AD 1620 : gauntlet about 1620; the metacarpal and knuckle-plates about 1590

Note

North Italian

The gauntlet is bright with a patchy medium patination on the cuff and the thumb-defence, and heavy pitting and patination on the metacarpal-plates and the knuckle-plate.